Kansas committee hears hours of testimony on SCR 16-11 to put Supreme Court elections before voters

Senate leaders and state legal officials presented competing cases Thursday as the Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony on Senate Concurrent Resolution 16‑11, a proposed constitutional amendment that would abolish the state’s Supreme Court Nominating Commission and require statewide elections for the Kansas Supreme Court justices.

The measure, presented by Jason Long to the committee, would amend Article III to replace the current nominating-commission appointment process with statewide elections for seven justices; under the draft schedule in the resolution, seats 1–3 would be on the ballot in November 2028, seats 4–5 in 2030 and seats 6–7 in 2032, with subsequent six-year terms. The proposal would also remove a current constitutional prohibition on justices’ participation in partisan organizations and would, if approved by two-thirds of both chambers, put the amendment on the November 2026 general-election ballot for voters to decide.

Supporters, including Senate President Ty Masterson and Attorney General Chris Kobach, told the committee the change would increase accountability to voters and dismantle what they described as an insular system dominated by lawyers. “It would be taking power from an elite group of lawyers and giving it back to your constituents,” Senate President Ty Masterson said. Attorney General Chris Kobach called the…